Re: Re: School Advice in Houston - WESTVIEW

[Guest guest]

In a message dated 3/23/2006 10:00:42 A.M. Central Standard Time,

alizaratterree@... writes:

Perhaps they should consider adding to the name of the school... " Westview.

The school for the nearly neurotypical " .

Aliza, that's good. Have you ever considered a job in marketing?

Seriously, I just pulled out a newsletter Volume V, Issue 1, 2005-2006, I

received from Westview and in it reads, " what is Autism? " with a couple of

paragraphs of information explaining what we already know. Then it reads, " what

is Westview? " and this is verbatim, " The Westview School was created to

provide a structured and stimulating learning environment for children with

communication and interactional disorders such as autism and other Pervasive

Developmental Disorders (PDD). In its 24 years of operation, Westview has become

one

of only a handful of schools in the nation and the only school in the

Houston area that specializes exclusively in the education of children with

high-functioning autism beginning at age two and continuing through middle

school.

These are children who would otherwise 'fall through the cracks' between

institutions that serve severely autistic children and those institutions that

address less challenging disabilities. A full range of academic programs, as

well as speech and occupational therapy, is provided to increase students'

opportunities for success. "

Lately, I have heard a couple of people at conferences make references to

new schools for kids with autism in the Houston area opening up but I have not

heard any specifics so these schools might still be in the development stage.

I'm very curious to know what/where they will be? Anybody know?

A few weeks ago I went to the big disability conference held out at Morton

Ranch Jr. High School in Katy and heard Jacquelyn Tomlinson from FOCUS

Initiative give a presentation on understanding Asperger's and High Functioning

Autism and I thought she was good and so I wondered if my son would be

considered

a candidate for their program. I wonder if he would be high functioning

enough?? Their program enrolls kids 8 years and up, my son just turned 7. I

liked

the description of the classes offered. Here's the definition of FOCUS-

Focusing On Children Under the Spectrum.

F.O.C.U.S. Initiative was established in 1999 to help improve the social

understanding and life success of children and teens with autism spectrum

disorders and other social cognitive deficits. These include:

* _Asperger's Syndrome _ (http://www.asdfocus.com/factasp.htm)

* _Non-verbal Learning Disorder_ (http://www.asdfocus.com/factnld.htm)

_PDD-NOS_ (http://www.asdfocus.com/factpddnos.htm)

_ADHD_ (http://www.asdfocus.com/factadhd.htm)

Typical lessons may include:

* Developing & maintaining friendships

* _Conversation do_ (http://www.asdfocus.com/classes.htm#) 's and

don'ts

* Perspective-taking

* _Problem solving_ (http://www.asdfocus.com/classes.htm#)

* _Non-verbal communication_ (http://www.asdfocus.com/classes.htm#)

* _Bullying and teasing_ (http://www.asdfocus.com/classes.htm#)

* _Hanging out_ (http://www.asdfocus.com/classes.htm#)

* Table manners

* _Hygiene/self-help skills_ (http://www.asdfocus.com/classes.htm#)

* D_ining out_ (http://www.asdfocus.com/classes.htm#)

* _Dating basics_ (http://www.asdfocus.com/classes.htm#)

* _Shopping and meal preparation_

(http://www.asdfocus.com/classes.htm#)

* _Money management_ (http://www.asdfocus.com/classes.htm#)

* Employment preparation

* Independent living skills

These are exactly the kinds of things our kids need/will need, yet I wonder

if my son would qualify for the FOCUS program? Would he be considered to low

functioning? There is so much out there scattered to the far winds and what

said is right, " we need more schools like Westview - covering more

areas of the spectrum. " R.

[Guest guest]

Most of the places opening up are ABA clinics--which are technically

children's mental health clinics.

There is Aim High Academy which is actually a school.

The distinction is very important because if you have your child in public

school, and yank him to put him in a private school, it must really be a

school if you want to sue to have the public school to pay for it (under

IDEA 2004). You cannot take your child out of public school to have them

pay for an ABA clinic.

S.

Re: Re: School Advice in Houston -

WESTVIEW

In a message dated 3/23/2006 10:00:42 A.M. Central Standard Time,

alizaratterree@... writes:

Perhaps they should consider adding to the name of the school... " Westview.

The school for the nearly neurotypical " .

Aliza, that's good. Have you ever considered a job in marketing?

Seriously, I just pulled out a newsletter Volume V, Issue 1, 2005-2006, I

received from Westview and in it reads, " what is Autism? " with a couple of

paragraphs of information explaining what we already know. Then it reads,

" what

is Westview? " and this is verbatim, " The Westview School was created to

provide a structured and stimulating learning environment for children with

communication and interactional disorders such as autism and other Pervasive

Developmental Disorders (PDD). In its 24 years of operation, Westview has

become one

of only a handful of schools in the nation and the only school in the

Houston area that specializes exclusively in the education of children with

high-functioning autism beginning at age two and continuing through middle

school.

These are children who would otherwise 'fall through the cracks' between

institutions that serve severely autistic children and those institutions

that

address less challenging disabilities. A full range of academic programs,

as

well as speech and occupational therapy, is provided to increase students'

opportunities for success. "

Lately, I have heard a couple of people at conferences make references to

new schools for kids with autism in the Houston area opening up but I have

not

heard any specifics so these schools might still be in the development

stage.

I'm very curious to know what/where they will be? Anybody know?

A few weeks ago I went to the big disability conference held out at Morton

Ranch Jr. High School in Katy and heard Jacquelyn Tomlinson from FOCUS

Initiative give a presentation on understanding Asperger's and High

Functioning

Autism and I thought she was good and so I wondered if my son would be

considered

a candidate for their program. I wonder if he would be high functioning

enough?? Their program enrolls kids 8 years and up, my son just turned 7. I

liked

the description of the classes offered. Here's the definition of FOCUS-

Focusing On Children Under the Spectrum.

F.O.C.U.S. Initiative was established in 1999 to help improve the social

understanding and life success of children and teens with autism spectrum

disorders and other social cognitive deficits. These include:

* _Asperger's Syndrome _ (http://www.asdfocus.com/factasp.htm)

* _Non-verbal Learning Disorder_

(http://www.asdfocus.com/factnld.htm)

_PDD-NOS_ (http://www.asdfocus.com/factpddnos.htm)

_ADHD_ (http://www.asdfocus.com/factadhd.htm)

Typical lessons may include:

* Developing & maintaining friendships

* _Conversation do_ (http://www.asdfocus.com/classes.htm#) 's and

don'ts

* Perspective-taking

* _Problem solving_ (http://www.asdfocus.com/classes.htm#)

* _Non-verbal communication_ (http://www.asdfocus.com/classes.htm#)

* _Bullying and teasing_ (http://www.asdfocus.com/classes.htm#)

* _Hanging out_ (http://www.asdfocus.com/classes.htm#)

* Table manners

* _Hygiene/self-help skills_ (http://www.asdfocus.com/classes.htm#)

* D_ining out_ (http://www.asdfocus.com/classes.htm#)

* _Dating basics_ (http://www.asdfocus.com/classes.htm#)

* _Shopping and meal preparation_

(http://www.asdfocus.com/classes.htm#)

* _Money management_ (http://www.asdfocus.com/classes.htm#)

* Employment preparation

* Independent living skills

These are exactly the kinds of things our kids need/will need, yet I wonder

if my son would qualify for the FOCUS program? Would he be considered to

low

functioning? There is so much out there scattered to the far winds and what

said is right, " we need more schools like Westview - covering more

areas of the spectrum. " R.

[Guest guest]

I know the Monarch school is supposed to be very good, but again, not sure at

what level they require their students to function.

P.S. I did work in marketing in a past life. Seems like 100 years ago. I am

looking for work, though. " Will market for money " .

kgreeceman@... wrote:

In a message dated 3/23/2006 10:00:42 A.M. Central Standard Time,

alizaratterree@... writes:

Perhaps they should consider adding to the name of the school... " Westview.

The school for the nearly neurotypical " .

Aliza, that's good. Have you ever considered a job in marketing?

Seriously, I just pulled out a newsletter Volume V, Issue 1, 2005-2006, I

received from Westview and in it reads, " what is Autism? " with a couple of

paragraphs of information explaining what we already know. Then it reads, " what

is Westview? " and this is verbatim, " The Westview School was created to

provide a structured and stimulating learning environment for children with

communication and interactional disorders such as autism and other Pervasive

Developmental Disorders (PDD). In its 24 years of operation, Westview has become

one

of only a handful of schools in the nation and the only school in the

Houston area that specializes exclusively in the education of children with

high-functioning autism beginning at age two and continuing through middle

school.

These are children who would otherwise 'fall through the cracks' between

institutions that serve severely autistic children and those institutions that

address less challenging disabilities. A full range of academic programs, as

well as speech and occupational therapy, is provided to increase students'

opportunities for success. "

Lately, I have heard a couple of people at conferences make references to

new schools for kids with autism in the Houston area opening up but I have not

heard any specifics so these schools might still be in the development stage.

I'm very curious to know what/where they will be? Anybody know?

A few weeks ago I went to the big disability conference held out at Morton

Ranch Jr. High School in Katy and heard Jacquelyn Tomlinson from FOCUS

Initiative give a presentation on understanding Asperger's and High Functioning

Autism and I thought she was good and so I wondered if my son would be

considered

a candidate for their program. I wonder if he would be high functioning

enough?? Their program enrolls kids 8 years and up, my son just turned 7. I

liked

the description of the classes offered. Here's the definition of FOCUS-

Focusing On Children Under the Spectrum.

F.O.C.U.S. Initiative was established in 1999 to help improve the social

understanding and life success of children and teens with autism spectrum

disorders and other social cognitive deficits. These include:

* _Asperger's Syndrome _ (http://www.asdfocus.com/factasp.htm)

* _Non-verbal Learning Disorder_ (http://www.asdfocus.com/factnld.htm)

_PDD-NOS_ (http://www.asdfocus.com/factpddnos.htm)

_ADHD_ (http://www.asdfocus.com/factadhd.htm)

Typical lessons may include:

* Developing & maintaining friendships

* _Conversation do_ (http://www.asdfocus.com/classes.htm#) 's and

don'ts

* Perspective-taking

* _Problem solving_ (http://www.asdfocus.com/classes.htm#)

* _Non-verbal communication_ (http://www.asdfocus.com/classes.htm#)

* _Bullying and teasing_ (http://www.asdfocus.com/classes.htm#)

* _Hanging out_ (http://www.asdfocus.com/classes.htm#)

* Table manners

* _Hygiene/self-help skills_ (http://www.asdfocus.com/classes.htm#)

* D_ining out_ (http://www.asdfocus.com/classes.htm#)

* _Dating basics_ (http://www.asdfocus.com/classes.htm#)

* _Shopping and meal preparation_

(http://www.asdfocus.com/classes.htm#)

* _Money management_ (http://www.asdfocus.com/classes.htm#)

* Employment preparation

* Independent living skills

These are exactly the kinds of things our kids need/will need, yet I wonder

if my son would qualify for the FOCUS program? Would he be considered to low

functioning? There is so much out there scattered to the far winds and what

said is right, " we need more schools like Westview - covering more

areas of the spectrum. " R.